Hundred Ways to Love Her
by DumplingSoup
Summary: Chat loved Ladybug... but Ladybug knew there was someone else. She never doubted him. Love comes in many different forms, but there's only two sides to the mask. [Ladynoir oneshot]


There were many things Adrien felt when he looked at Ladybug. Admiration, companionship, a bonded friendship, trust, and longing. Even his heart soared with an emotion he could only describe as love.

He was surprised, though, because when he looked at her his worries seemed to disappear. His heart was calm. It was so much different from the romance stories and movies he had watched where he'd seen love drastically change people. But he didn't doubt for a second it wasn't love, because he could't smile so freely and easily at her even when he knew she'd never look his way if he wasn't.

.

"Maybe you're right."

Ladybug's sudden words caught him off guard, and he turned to her, dressed up in his superhero outfit. It was the only real way he could see her with ease, without an excuse and a crunched time limit. This way they had a moment to breath, a moment where time seemed to stop and stand still as it waited for them. A moment strictly to themselves.

"Maybe what your friend does feel isn't love. Admiration, perhaps? When I think of the boy I like, I just can't sit still. I make a fool of myself constantly because I'm so nervous." She hummed, kicking her feet back and forth on the roof of someone's house they sat atop that night. "But there's different kinds of love, so I don't see why there can't be different ways of loving someone."

Chat blinked. It was the first time she'd ever mentioned such a personal detail about her civilian life. Always the one to take extra measures to keep a distance when that sort of thing came up. He wasn't sure if it was random ramblings she didn't mean to say or she's said it on purpose, but she trusted him to be able to say that.

A pang of jealousy shot through his heart, tightening it to a deathly degree. It was to be expected, though, to some degree. Chat had a feeling for awhile after catching her many times sighing with a lonely look as she looked into the distance somewhere, longing for someone she couldn't see, when she thought his back was turned.

Above all, Ladybug hadn't said "boyfriend," which meant there was still room fro chat to squeeze in and swoop her off her feet.

Whoever the boy was that made Ladybug make a lonely face like that was stupid, Adrien thought. He didn't like the idea of imagining her staying up late at night with a dreamy face daydreaming of a boy who wasn't going to pay her any attention at all. It hurt him in her place.

.

Reaching his hand over, Chat gripped Ladybug's hand. He starred into Paris' night sky without a word, and in return, Ladybug said nothing as she watched his chest rise and fall with each passing breath.

"He's scared," Chat said calmly in a distant voice. "That she'll reject him or he'll find out it wasn't love to begin with. He doesn't know what to do with himself. But she's important to him all the same. She gave him a reason to continue on and keep doing his best even when he felt like giving everything up. He knows he loves her!" he shouted, and then took a shaky breath, looking down to his lap where his hand was shaking. "So why… why is he doubting himself?"

Ladybug watched his hand shake and tilted her head. She closed her eyes, moving her head back, and let the breeze blow against her skin. "It sounds to me like you're talkin about yourself," she said.

Chat flinched, and Ladybug giggled.

"I remember you told me once to look as far as I could see. All of that and all of the world, you loved me more than all of that. It might be selfish of me to say this, but I didn't doubt you for a second."

The words Ladybug spoke rang in Chat's ears. They were soft and delicate to listen to, like a choir of only the best singers. His heart clenched, and he felt as if he were about to cry. Chat knew the meaning of her words, how she took the time to think of how to word them to make him feel better. She truly was the kindest person he ever met.

That, in itself, seemed like a shame.

"There's another girl, isn't there?"

There wasn't any malice behind the words, and even though she worded it as if it were a question, Ladybug said it like a fact. Chat nodded, even though he already knew it was a given. He hadn't fooled anyone, not even himself.

So, he stayed quiet and continued to listen to Ladybug, because, honestly, he wasn't sure what to do or say anymore.

"You know, I always felt as if a part of you was missing. When you put on his mask, it's easy to pretend to be whoever you want to be instead of who you are." Ladybug let out a dry laugh. She smiled with eyes that looked ripped apart as she pointed to herself. "I'm guilty of that too, you know. Ladybug must be strong, Ladybug must be confident, someone adults and children can look up to. When I get my personal feelings involved, I make a lot of mistakes. It's embarrassing. But that's part of who I am. If… being a superhero and your partner has taught me anything, it's that I need to love myself too."

Chat called out her name like a whining puppy. It was the only thing he could think to say, for he was at a loss of words. The feelings of sympathizing pain made it hard to breath.

Taking a long breath, he turned his head to her. His eyes pulled down in a serious air. "Whoever you are behind that mask, you always will be amazing. You don't need that mask to be my hero."

Ladybug smiled. For the first time, Chat felt like he'd seen her real smile–the smile she'd ordinarily have, just a regular smile–and it felt so painstakingly familiar to him.

"You'll always be my hero too, Chat Noir. So go to her. Make sure you tell her how important she is. Treat her like a princess and treasure her, you got that?"

Of course he'd treat her like a princess, he thought. She's been that right from the start. With that overwhelming desire not to mess it up, to impress her, and make her happy.

.

Chat Noir grinned at that comment. How did she know exactly what to say? She was honestly… beyond beautiful inside and out If he were given the chance, he'd fall in love with her one hundred times over.

He leaned in, closer, until their breaths were touching. Ladybug didn't pull back, her eyes clear as she looked straight into his. Even closer until their lips were overlapping.

As quick as he came, he pulled back just as fast.

"I love you," he told her.

"I know," she breathed out to the image of his back.


End file.
